"I can't imagine doing that to a child, it's just unheard of," said neighbor Beth Domonkos.

Uniontown police said that unimaginable scenario played out near busy West Main Street, a dangerous area for a 2-year-old to roam alone, and police said her father, Shawn Hodgetts Jr., let it happen.

When a passerby saw the girl in the middle of Montview Street, he picked her up while she was crying, with dirt on her face and a wet diaper, and took her to safety, police said.

"There's a lot of nice, caring people in Uniontown, and they would definitely protect the children in this town," said Domonkos.

The man looked for a nearby parent, but didn’t find one. Police arrived and went to the 300 block of West Main after noticing a swing set in the backyard of a home. The officer looked through a window and saw Hodgetts asleep on the couch, police said.

According to the police report, the officer knocked and yelled, but Hodgetts wouldn’t wake up. The officer went inside, smelled alcohol on Hodgetts and began to shake him from his sleep, police said. Hodgetts then mumbled, "It's OK, baby. Daddy is here, don't cry," police said.

Police said drug paraphernalia was also found nearby. Hodgetts was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, recklessly endangering another person and possession of drug paraphernalia.